DELAWARE COUNTY. 259 Patroon's nor the rentees'^ then they hold that the manor be- longs to the State, as they abjure the claims of the pretended owners altogether. Under the idea of statute prohibitions, it is known that men cannot sell their lives, their liberties, their children, their wives, nor their servants. A man cannot burn his own house, nor even abuse a dumb beast, although the animal may be his own. He cannot sell his vote, nor buy one at elections. The stat- ute prohibition goes against all frauds and usurpations of every nature ; on which account it is believed that the requirements of many of the leases do in many particulars infringe on these wholesome principles,* and ought, therefore, to be shorn of these hateful traits of ancient feudalism, by the shears of legis- lative authority, which would go far to tranquillize the minds of the manor rentees, if nothing more can be done in their favor.
- On the Rensselaer manor, the proprietors reserved all water powers,
mines, ores, and mineral beds, of every name and nature. They re- served the right to make roads, to cut wood and timber for various purposes, and to convey it on, over, and through any of the lands of the manor, except such as the patentees sold.
